The almost mystical sound of Wovenhand returns with TheThreshingfloor. This time around Wovenhand attempt to capture the mystery, magic, and supernatural feel of the American West’s landscape. Far from cowboy songs though, the new album is more about a geographic journey than the autobiography of the people that inhabit the land (although there is a bit of that as well).
Riddled with the rough sounds of acoustic instruments and the faint inspiration of Native American culture, this album is a very, very intimate sounding piece of work. Rarely these days does music transcend into art, but it does so throughout this album. While the album must be taken in context to be absorbed to the fullest, there are a few tracks that really stand out amongst the others. One such track is “Behind Your Breath” which features a spiraling, almost wammy-bar induced, guitar riff that sounds like a bastardized old-style country song interwoven with the sounds of a late night Pow Wow. There is so much to this song, it’s draining just to figure out what words best describe it! The fast-paced and incredibly powerful title track is another definite highlight, echoing deep into your brain and returning long after the song is gone. The gentler “Orchard Gate” is a personal favorite as well, reminding me a lot of some bands we’d likely label as “Goth.”
As with any Wovenhand album, The Threshingfloor has a dark and “thick” feel to it that pulls you in deeply and works you over physically and mentally. This is not music that can (or should be) relegated to the background, it’s an expression and a deeply philosophical record that requires patience and time to truly appreciate, if not ultimately understand. If you like prior efforts, you’ll find this one a bit darker but just as pleasurable as the other albums.
Reviewed by Mark Fisher
